Beginner Dirtbike

[Krazy Ivan]

What's a cheap but good beginner dirtbike? I have always wanted to get one, but never really had a place to go for it. Now I found a motocross track down the street and I wanted to try it. I wanted to get a beginner bike for not too much, prolly used.

Any suggestions? Helmet suggestions too?

My bad, by reflex I clicked on the paintball forum. Fixed now.

[EsPo]

how many cc's are u lookin for, im 14 and my pick is a yamaha ttr-125, 125 cc's. It was either 2000 or 1700 brand new which is cheap.

[Krazy Ivan]

Prolly looking to maximize the cc's I can get for under $500.

I'm prolly looking at a used bike, and again, it's not going to be a performance, or racing kind of bike. Just to kind of mess around with. I want to try it, not spend more on it than my paintball gear.

[rhetor22]

how tall are you and how much do you weigh?

if you're like 5'10" and 140+ i would say like an XR-200.

its a good bike and very very reliable. you won't have to clean and grease the air filter and do all the maintenance that you would have to do on a two stroke motocross bike.

Motocross bikes are really not good begginer bikes, thats why i would suggest an Offroad bike such as an XR.

two strokes are gunna make tremendous power in their powerband, but four strokes are going to have more low end power and a flatter power band.

two strokes are like lets say porsches, with high revving engines , while four strokes are like big *** mustangs and trans-ams.

A motocross bike is gunna be light as hell and hard to ride, but it will handle like mad. The suspension will be very long and have great bottoming resistance. It will suck for trail riding. its just too light.

an offroad bike like an XR-200 will handle jumps, not huge ones like a motocross, but it will be heavier, more stable, not handle as well. It will be much better off for trail riding.

remember that the honda xr's can take a beating, so you should be able to find an old one for cheap that still runs fine.

hope this helped.

just don't get a YZ-125 for a first bike if you aren't very confidant in your skills. a motocross bike really isn't a good first bike at all.

[rhetor22]

btw you can pick up an HJC helmet for about $150 which is an awesome deal. they are great helmets for a really good price.

[Krazy Ivan]

Thanks guys, this really helps..Now all I have to decide is do I rather want to get a dirtbike, or a snowboard. My buddy is pushing me to go snowboarding with him, so I can't decide right yet. The bike I get to ride for most of fall and summer, but I play paintball then....but the snowboard is winter only, no paintball for me...hrmmm, choices, choices, choices...

[rhetor22]

hey a quad is year round fun! (especially in the snow.)


me and my friend tried tying a sled to a rope on the back of my quad. the sled ripped apart. so we just held on to the rope.

that is some serious fun. you get a lot of bruises from rocks and such tho!

[ronron2112]

Your best bet for a bike is a HONDA. they have the most relyable bikes, and the quality is like no other.

depending on your size and mechanicle know how, you can go anywhere from a xr-100, cr 85, crf130, crf 230... xr250... cr125... those are all nice bikes made by honda.


The XR's are mostly a trail bike. but i have seen some 100's out on enduro races, and the xr250 IS an enduro bike, with massive low end and plus suspension.

the CR's are race bikes, good handeling, alot of power, the suspension, you can set these bikes up to your height, weight, everything. but these bikes DO require more maintenence. I only listed the 125 because it IS an option, but it is a rocket ship with 39hp at rear wheels. (i have the 125)

good luck.. and always wear a helmet.

EDIT: oh, rhetor, MX bikes are lighter therefore making them easier to ride and handle in trails. The lack of bottom on them is the only bad thing, but why would you ever be in the low RPM range in a 2stroke anyway?

[magman007]

[Krazy Ivan]

I haven't got to go snowboarding yet. But I will be on the mountains as soon as there is enough snow. I'm going to go for lessons on it, and I know it isn't easy to learn, however I need something to do during the winter, and snowboarding is the only thing that looks like it would hold my interest like paintball does. For the board, I'll ask my buddy if he would like it though, you never know, he might, or one of his snowboaring buddies. Thanks for the info.

I think I'll prolly look into a lower end Honda bike then too =)

[rhetor22]

hmm i posted something here but its gone...

anyways, my post was like this:


a lighter bike is not necessarily easier to ride. A trail bike will have a lower cg, and more wieght to it, making it more stable. granted a lighter mx bike will be easier to move around and such, but you won't have the same traction in the trails. When trying to get over a log with an mx bike, you just don't have enough weight for any traction. a trail bike will give you better traction in hard packed dirt, or a trail covered in leaves.


you also would want a 4 stroke for trails so you can have that low end power, that way you can go slowly over big obstacles, and still have power to spare.

You don't want to be in high revs and melting your clutch all the time.

ronron, lets not get into brand loyalty battles here.

btw Yamaha is better than honda.

[ronron2112]

at any rate.. heres what to look fore if you choose a used model.

-ask the owner how often he changes his transmition oil, and when he changed it last

-check the clutch (left side lever) it should feel firm, and smooth, it should also release smoothly. makde sure there is always pressure on your hand when you pull it in and out, if theres any slack, make sure you note that.

-vissually check the engine, make sure (if its a 4 stroke) that the cooling fins on the cylinder are not bent, or dented.

-check the area around the spark plug. if there is any carbon (it looks like black dust)if you see any this could be a sign that the engine is not running as efficently as it can. this is mostly on a 2 stroke engine.

-check the suspension, take the handle bars, and grab the front brake (right lever) work the suspension up and down, if you hear any scratching noises or anything that sounds like somthing rubbing, ask the owner if he has ever changed his suspension oil.

-ask the owner to start up the bike. watch to see how many kicks it takes and what it sounds like when it turns over. listen to the engine.. make sure there isnt any clanking sounds. if you can ride one, ask to ride it.. if not let him do it, listen to the engine under stress, when hes sifting it should sound smooth and not clanky.

-check under the engine where the frame is and feel around for big dents and cuts, then check the bottoms of the front suspension, and the rear disc if it has one.

-test the front brakes by walking the bike forward then grabbing the brakes, it should stop fast and quietly. there should be no more than 2" from the rest point till the lever is all the way back it can go.

-test the rear brakes by walking along side of the bike on the right, then when you have some momentom, lift your left leg and step on the little pedal infront of the footpeg. it should stop quick and smooth again.

-and make sure it looks nice

if you need help IM me.. (ronron2112)

edit.. oh yea.. weight has little to do with traction.. gearing does most of the work, and tires help too.
EDIT AGAIN: since your in mass, go here

and even ANOTHER edit.. added the part on brakes.. you might need those..

[rhetor22]

listen to ronron, he knows his stuff.

except for the honda part. heheh

i'm just foolin. honda is a great bike. they will probably last the longest out of all the brands. They have great brakes, strong engines, and are generally a great all round bike. The XR series bikes last for everrrrr

hope we helped.

[Krazy Ivan]

Thanks guys, I'm gonna be checking out the want-ads and seeing who in the area is selling an old bike, for hopefully cheap.

Hopefully I can buy it in the off season and still afford to try snowboarding.